The present invention relates in general to heater assemblies. In particular, the present invention relates to a heater with an improved thermostat assembly.
It is known to support an in-line thermostat, used for controlling an open coil electric heater, to a heater assembly by supporting each of the two terminal structures of the in-line thermostat with a ceramic insulator connected to a support bar of a heater frame (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,770,939). As such, known heater assemblies are not configured to (directly) connect a terminal structure of an in-line thermostat to a terminal supplying power to a heater assembly. In addition, such heater assemblies are not configured to attach, through a ceramic insulator(s), a terminal structure of an in-line thermostat to a (sheet metal) support plate of a heater assembly. Certain heating element designs, however, require a terminal structure of an in-line thermostat to be (directly) connected to a terminal supplying power to a heater assembly and/or to a (sheet metal) support plate of the heater assembly. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved thermostat assembly for a heater.
One embodiment of the present invention provides a heater assembly, including a mounting assembly, a conducting structure, a thermostat structure, a first terminal structure and a second terminal structure, and an insulator support structure including a terminal receiving opening formed therethrough. The conducting structure is releasably and fixedly secured to the mounting assembly. The insulator support structure is also releasably and fixedly secured to the mounting assembly. The terminal receiving opening of the insulator support structure cooperates with the first terminal structure to secure the first terminal structure to the mounting assembly. The second terminal structure is releasably and fixedly secured to the mounting assembly. The thermostat structure is connected to the first terminal structure and to the second terminal structure. The first terminal structure is then connected to a power delivering structure to receive power to be used by the heater assembly, and to deliver power, through the thermostat structure, to the conducting structure. The second terminal structure is also coupled to the conducting structure.